Sex or Physical Activity - Which is better for exercise?

Liam Bend and Jay Sreekumar find out

Earlier in the week, BBC news claimed research had found sex improves health to the same degree that physical activity can do.

Recent findings carried out by NHS experts proved that regular sexual intercourse plays an important role in daily lives by giving good cardio exercise that can reduce the chances of heart disease; as they are trying to encourage sex as a form of physical activity.

Sex is nothing new of course, humans have been pursuing the physical pleasure since time began, but we never envisaged the day where it could become more popular that sport or a work out at the gym as someone’s answer to maintaining their health and fitness.

The thought is even harder amongst young adults i.e. students considering that the U.K currently has the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Western Europe; it would therefore suggest that the issue needs controlling before being promoted as a ‘good thing’.

Michaela Suckling, a nurse at Sheffield Hallam medical centre believes the report isn’t suggesting that we should substitute our daily fitness regimes for sex but says we must respect it can be just as beneficial if approached with the right intentions;

“We promote any increase in physical activity and are not simply saying to go out and have sex but have it because of the enjoyment, after all sex has many good factors that can relate to exercise.”

“Our main aim is to illustrate the importance to have good and safe sex, by this we are always giving out protection around the University campuses and beyond.”

The NHS haven’t directly targeted young adults in the campaign but people of all ages, this is made clear on billboards around the city. Posters promoting physical activity show a happily married old couple together, highlighting the importance of a long lasting relationship and not using sex just as an excuse for sport.

Other organisations, Diabetes UK and the British Heart Foundation have also used the similar imagery to receive public attention.

The advertisements provide us with evidence that they are not trying to make sex compulsory in everyday life but if personal feelings are right between you and a partner then your body will benefit from the exercise, especially older people as they are not as mobile to playing sports on a regular basis as the younger generation.

Even if the campaign does increase the nations levels of sexual activity, recreation supervisor at Sport Hallam Victoria Watkin Jones says that gym membership will not decline in the foreseeable future despite what’s taking place behind closed doors;

“Of course sex is better than doing no exercise; I don’t think it will replace a session in the gym because it doesn’t burn off as many calories.”

The Sheffield Hallam students that were asked shared mixed opinions, in a poll of 10 over 50% saw sex more for pleasure purposes than as a form of keeping fit, though some did state its just a case of how much effort you put into it.

What was interesting, over half the females would consider an increase in sex activity to staying healthy as well as carrying out their same levels of daily exercise.

The males surprisingly showed less interest in having intercourse to keep up their fitness; just 40% stated they would consider sex to boost their health. When asking the reminding males, the same percentage stated that as much as they enjoy sex they would never put it before football.

Although the research suggests there is some element of truth in the findings, it’s hard to imagine love making being introduced at the Olympic Games, well not before London 2012 anyway.